Chapter Three

"You shouldn't have left with her."

Apollo paced his temple like an agitated tiger, nearly wearing through the sleek white marble that slapped beneath his bare feet. He raked his hands through his hair and swiped them down his face, then returned to pacing, glaring at the floor and probably trying to come up with some excuse to keep the intruders from his temple. At the same time, I could smell his fear over the situation in general.

Apollo didn't love me, not really, but he valued my presence. If there was anyone who was allowed to witness him when he was intoxicated or when he wept, it was me. Unfortunately, now Olympus had been alerted to the threat on my life and Zeus was adamant that Hades send in his best soldiers, but only two of them. Who, I had no idea yet. We had yet to hear back from Ares on Hades's reaction, which I'm sure was nothing more than swearing and sarcasm.

Poor Ares.

Meanwhile, I was being scolded for being forced to leave the temple with Artemis, something that mildly irritated me. I was told to obey the other gods, yet here I was, being told not to obey them and now I had the itching urge to grab Apollo and slam him against one of the columns in the receiving room...

He'll definitely be receiving if he doesn't quit chastising me.

"Are you listening to me?" Apollo demanded angrily, whirling around to pin me with a menacing glare. I inclined my head and he made a noise of supreme anger, stalking toward me and grabbing me by the throat. His hand closed around my neck, squeezing not tight enough to choke me, but to warn me. He leaned in close so his nose brushed mine and I watched him, emotionlessly. I could see the emotions conflicting in those deep blue eyes of his, like the churning waves of a chaotic sea and it almost brought a smile to my lips how much those eyes reminded me of the Source the day it came for me.

You don't need to be scared, little god. Nothing can kill me. I thought, resisting the urge to stroke his face in an attempt to comfort him. Instead, I kept my gaze locked with his until he broke it first, averting his eyes before loosening his hold on my neck. He drew me into his arms, cradling the back of my head with his hand, breathing labored as he hid his face in my hair, like a child seeking comfort and it warmed a small part of me that I wished would return to the darkness in my soul.

I allowed him to hold me tightly for a period of time before he stepped back, taking a deep breath and cupping my face in his hands. He studied me for a long while, then moved away, dropping his hands abruptly. A strange tingle in the air told me that maybe Hyacinth was watching and Apollo knew it. Apollo cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable, looking around as if hoping to see the Spartan prince, but there was nothing in sight and Apollo's mood darkened.

"I want something to eat," He said through clenched teeth, "Order some pizza, tell them to take their time. Meet me in the bathroom."

"Yes, master." I replied monotonously. Apollo snorted in disgust and shoved past me, heading off to his room.

I still wasn't quite sure why he was always aggravated when I obeyed him. He seemed to want me to put up a fight, some kind of protest, but I couldn't find it in me. I had long given up trying to break the curse that the Source had placed on me. I wasn't sure why I bothered in the first place since it seemed like a fair trade to me. Eternal slavery in return for getting rid of the worst pantheon in history.

Too bad the Source didn't uphold their end of the deal and I was forced to continue living as a slave.

That part aggravated me, and any other day I would've been cursing the Source for this existence, but today I felt oddly masochistic.

Was it Atlia's death doing this to me? Had it affected me more than I thought? How could it, after everything she'd done to me, or lack thereof? I hadn't felt like this when I had sank Atlantis. I had felt numb and bitter and cold afterwards, relieved they were gone, but still bitter because it didn't bring Dexius back, and just made things worse for Xenon, which in turn made me feel worse. But to actually mourn the death of one of my siblings?

I swallowed down a lump in my throat and went to the large kitchen just a hallway down from the receiving room. The kitchen was large and elegant, made of sleek cherry wood and white marble with a large pillar at the center of the room where racks upon racks of spices and seasonings sat. The room was warm and cozy, and only one person was present there.

Apollo's one other servant, a nymph named Denarius. He was tall, incredibly muscular, and wore his black hair cut shorter on the sides, longer on the top and in front so it hid his eerie green-gold eyes. He only wore a pair of low ride bleached jeans and a black tank top. He'd originally been one of Apollo's many lovers, but when Zelios had handed me over to Apollo, he'd been relieved of that duty and now Apollo kept him on staff as one of the few servants he trusted.

Denarius was rather cute, in an odd buff masculine sort of way. He liked to come off as powerful and arrogant, but in all honesty, he was a sheepish klutz who shouldn't be allowed near electronics. I was rather fond of him, especially his dimpled smile. However, the one time I had looked at Denarius with interest, Apollo had punished me for it and threatened Denarius, so I kept my longing to myself.

"Denarius," I greeted, then smirked to myself as he dropped the pot he was putting away, then quickly wiped it into a faint smile as Denarius cleared his throat awkwardly, then turned to look at me, "Sorry to intrude. Apollo sent me on another pizza order." Denarius frowned slightly at that.

"Another one? Hermes is going to start refusing some day." He said dryly, turning to take out a pad and paper to write down the order. I paused, cocking my head to admire the way he leaned over the counter, his buttocks poised out and cupped tightly by his jeans.

I wonder if he would mind if it I bit him.

I had no idea where that strange fetish had come from. I had never bitten Dexius. And what very few lovers I'd had since then, I couldn't remember biting them, but recently the urge possessed me, particularly now as I admired Denarius's backside, until he stood up and I snapped my eyes to meet his as he gave me one of his dimpled smiles.

"All right, I'll see when I can get it in. Fast order or slow?" He asked, his voice taking a quick dark note at the question. I smiled.

"Take your time. He's angry today." I responded. Denarius's jaw flexed at that and his green-gold eyes hardened for a moment.

"Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded.

"I can handle it. Thank you for your concern, Denarius." I answered. He looked like he wanted to say something more, but I was stalling too long and the longer it took me, the more angry Apollo would become. I gave Denarius a slight bow of the head, because he was considered a servant by choice and I was a slave, therefore his rank was above mine. I left the kitchen and descended through the halls until I approached Apollo's bedroom door that was cracked open, allowing the thick scents of a bubble bath to leak out into the hall.

It smelled like patchouli and sandalwood. The scents were heavy, erotic. It stirred something inside me that was already sizzling from admiring Denarius.

I took a deep breath and entered the bedroom, which was only lit by the sunlight that poured in through the curtains, streaming across the room to illuminate the door to the bathroom that was closed with only soft steamrolling from beneath it. I opened the door and stepped inside to see Apollo already in the tub, a large jacuzzi tub set in the corner with marble steps wrapping around it to lead the way in. A few candles had been lit around the room, intensifying the thick heat and erotic scents in the room.

Apollo didn't particularly look romantic, though. He just sat in the tub, staring at one of the candles. Knowing what he wanted from me without even having to hear him speak, I stripped my clothes off and cast them aside on the nearby clothing rack, climbing the steps slowly and sliding into the tub beside him, sinking onto my knees so I was submerged in hot water, bubbles making crispy pops as they shifted around me, sticking to my skin.

"Are you alright, master?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer as I sank my hands into the water, lifting them to pour water down Apollo's arm. He twitched for a second, tensing and goose bumps flitting across his dark skin before he relaxed and his eyes became drowsy.

"Dealing with Artemis drains me." He muttered. I didn't quite believe him on that, not completely anyway. Something told me it was more than that, but I didn't pressure him as I dipped my head down to brush my lips over his wet shoulder. He shivered and I shifted slightly, intending to get behind him, but instead he grabbed me and thrust me against his chest, using his finger to tilt my head back so I was looking up at him, watching those blue eyes darken with hunger.

"Feed me." He commanded.

"I ordered your pizza, master." I replied. He rolled his eyes.

"Not that." He answered huskily, sliding his hand up my chest and to my neck where he tapped his finger against my throat. I gave him a blank stare, then tilted my head slightly to the side, knowing exactly what he wanted. He made a noise of aggravation and turned his head away, making me cock my head back and frown.

"What is it you want, master? Don't you want to feed?" I asked. Apollo curled his lip in annoyance.

"Not when you're all yes, master, no, master. What happened to that fire that lit when I touched your precious brother?" He asked dryly. I tensed at that and Apollo's eyes glowed with interest, but I struggled to rein my emotions in.

Apollo had really only ever truly angered me once, when he'd forced Xenon to strip in front of him, humiliating him and angering him. Xenon was not a toy and did not deserve to be treated as such. The world could do whatever it wanted to me, but not to Xenon. Not my brother.

"Should I summon him and ask if he wants to join us?"

"No." I said sharply, sitting up and preparing to move away, but Apollo caught me and pulled me into his lap, purring low in his throat as he buried his nose against my neck, his fangs scraping my flesh. I tensed, wanting to shove him back down. I momentarily cursed not having any alcohol on hand, or at least something that would drug the god up enough to where he'd be the one pawing at me to fuck him, rather than vice versa.

I'd never particularly liked to be on the receiving end. I wasn't sure what it was about the position, but it annoyed me. Having lived my entire life as someone's bitch has honestly worn me down to where it no longer thrilled me to be fucked. If anything, it bored me and it took everything I had to try and get my body to react whenever Apollo did it. He was always infuriated if I didn't come, as if it was some kind of affront to his almighty godliness.

But if I were to once suggest that he let me take control, he'd be furious and probably beat me or even castrate me. So I said nothing and forced myself to go still as Apollo sank his fangs into my throat, releasing a soft little moan, his arms going around my waist to squeeze me tight. I ground my teeth together, sinking my fingers into his wet hair, pretending to savor it while moaning. Apollo shivered and I felt his erection hard against my inner thigh.

Here we go again.

Maybe if I fantasized about Denarius, I'd feel better. He didn't particularly seem like the type of man I would go after, but at the same time, something about him was incredibly alluring. Maybe it was those dimples, or that tight perky backside that begged to be nipped and nibbled until it was bruised and sore. I wanted to rake my nails down his back, lay open that dark skin to fresh strips of blood.

It was a strangely sadistic fantasy, one I would've never had before in the past, but found myself incredibly aroused by now. It was helpful to say in the least as Apollo mounted me, slamming me against the side of the tub, thrusting against me hard. My breath came out in sharp gasps and I slammed my eyes shut, gripping the side of the tub as I pretended I was somewhere else, with someone else.

And suddenly I found myself seeing Dexius.

I had no idea why his image suddenly assaulted my mind, and my next came out a choked sob as I struggled to push his face out of my mind, but I couldn't.

Suddenly I could remember the time we'd made love in my temple. I remembered how beautiful he looked with his golden hair tousled and splayed across the red sheets, his lips swollen and wet from kissing, his face twisted in an expression of utter euphoria, his gasps soft and desperate as he clamped his legs around my waist. I struggled to remember what it felt like to be buried in his heat, to remember what he sounded like when he sobbed with pleasure, his nails clawing at me as he arched into my touch, his sweet little whispers in my ear.

Another sob tore my throat and I slumped over the tub, dragging my nails across the marble, watching the nails steadily stretch and curl into claws, making my fingers tingle. I ground my teeth together as my fangs throbbed and elongated. I focused on Apollo's desperate thrusts, his nails sinking into my hips and his hot breath moving along my back until he could push the hair away from my neck, fangs popping through the thin flesh on my throat. I hissed, but savored the burning pain and the deep sucks he took from me.

Better to focus on this pain than another pain.

It took Apollo half an hour before he was finished feeding, finished fucking, before he drew me against his chest and we lay in the tub that emptied and refilled itself a second later, bubbles climbing out of nowhere with their hissing pops as they gathered around us. Apollo sighed, practically purred like a content kitten as he rested his head on top of mine, his thumb stroking my shoulder.

"You were crying," He murmured after a moment, and I frowned, staring into the water, "I didn't hurt you, did I?" Not as much as I wanted, I thought bitterly, but I didn't say that.

"No, master. I'm alright." I answered emptily. Alright, my mind echoed. Yeah, if masochism and wanting to fuck your own master was considered alright. I sighed and Apollo hummed thoughtfully, his arms going around me in a snuggling hug.

"I love this." He confessed, still high on the pheromones. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, focused instead on the fact that Apollo never said I love you so much as I love this or I love that. I knew he didn't love me, of course. He defended me from time to time, was gentle with me, treated me far better than my other masters, but there was no true love behind his actions or his words. It was more like a mutual friendship, if barely at all.

I still pitied him, still grew annoyed with him, still wanted to fuck him and show him that he wasn't the almighty god he pretended to be, but if someone were to threaten him, it would boil my blood. It was a strange feeling, and I blamed it on the hidden protective part of me. Blamed it on the part of me that looked at Apollo and saw a reflection of myself. Thinking about it darkened my mood and made me tense, almost to the point of shoving Apollo away from me so I could get away from him, from the way he reminded me of myself.

Thankfully, there was a knock at the door.

"Lord Apollo, your pizza's arrived." Denarius's voice carried through the wood door and Apollo made a childish noise of delight. Despite being excited about the pizza, he was careful as he got out of the tub and helped me out as well after wiping me down. He tossed me a red satin robe before he strode out in all his naked glory for a pair of jeans in his wardrobe. I tied the ribbon around my waist to close the robe and moved my wet hair back out of my face, exiting the bathroom to see Denarius watching Apollo walk away with a bored stare before he turned to me, green-gold eyes brightening.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

I wished people would stop asking me that.

I was fine, for someone whose lover was destroyed, family was a bunch of murderous traitors, being a slave for eternity, and caught in the middle of a massive pantheon war.

Yeah.

Fine.

Just fine.

"A change of clothes and I'll feel better." I told Denarius, who frowned slightly.

"Hey," Apollo snapped, making Denarius stiffen and glance over at him to see the sun god glaring at him, "This isn't a free show. I don't involve Callias in threesomes. Now get out and do your job." Denarius gave a short bow, almost mocking and gave me a deeper bow that I'm sure Apollo would punish me for later. He left the room and Apollo's blue eyes danced after him, and he let out a hiss between his teeth.

For a moment, I thought he was angry, until he turned around and palmed his cock.

"I forgot how perky his ass was. Come here." He commanded, indicating me. I drifted over to him and he grabbed me against him roughly, bruising my arms in the process as his mouth covered mine, taking over instantly. I let him do his little dominance play before he released me, licking his lips. His stomach gave a squeaking growl and he moaned low in his throat.

"Pizza." Was all he said as he turned away to yank on a pair of jeans. I shook my head, giving him his space.

Such a child.

"I'm going ahead. Don't wear anything too heavy." Apollo added before leaving me alone in the room. I watched him leave, then went to the wardrobe, relieved that I must have pleased him well today if he was letting me pick out my own clothing. I pulled down a pair of loose blue lounge pants and an off-the-shoulder white top, pulling my hair up into a lazy crooked bun.

I left the room and went down the hallway to the receiving room where Denarius was helping Apollo with the ridiculously large pizza, placing it on one of the small tables that barely held the entire pizza. I sighed, but kept my complaint to myself as I drifted into the receiving room. Apollo had just taken a bite of his pizza, then paused to stare up at me, cheese dripping from his piece until Denarius cleared his throat and Apollo almost choked on the cheese, scowling at it before looking up at me.

"Somehow, you make lazy look elegant." He said dryly. I was unsure if it pleased him or not, so I just smiled and his cheeks actually pinkened. Instead of talking further about it, he cleared his throat and returned to eating.

"You can have the rest of the day off," He told me, "But we'll pick up tonight. Be back in the bedroom by seven. If you go into town, take Denarius with you. I don't really want you wandering around too much, especially alone, with this whole Atlan invasion thing... I swear to the gods, I haven't seen someone this bad since Cronus... And I wasn't even born yet in time to see Cronus." He wrinkled his nose as if realizing what he said didn't make any sense, but I didn't care. I just smiled.

"Thank you very much, master. I'll be taking my leave now then, if that's alright with you."

"Yup, goodbye." Apollo gave me a lazy wave and snuggled down on his chaise, holding his pizza over his mouth so the cheese dripped into it. I pretended not to shudder and looked at Denarius hopefully, and he gave me a nod. We left the receiving room and took the main corridor out of the temple and down the marble steps toward the dirt trail that would lead to the small market place just a mile or so out from the temples.

"You must have done something right," Denarius said quietly after a moment, "He normally doesn't let either of us leave." I wasn't sure what to say to that. I had a feeling Apollo had gotten off on my crying and that was what had pleased him so much, but I couldn't be sure. Either way, I didn't question it. It was a rare day Apollo let me leave, especially now of all times.

I intended to savor every second of it. The rich scent of pine, freshly churned soil from the ambrosia orchid nearby, the sweet pungent scent of fruits and the crisp crystal waters of the rivers and streams. The warm sunlight pouring through the tree canopy across my face, the feel of finally moving my legs.

I felt eyes on me and glanced out the corner of my eye to see Denarius staring at me, then he quickly looked away and I smiled.

"You're lucky to be able to get this much sunlight, this much freedom, Denarius. If it were up to me, I would never go home if I could walk around like this." I said. Denarius squirmed a little at that, like he was unsure what to say. I wasn't sure why I got a little thrill from making him uncomfortable. It was similar to Apollo... and Dexius.

My mood instantly plummeted as the thought of the Atlantean prince crossed my mind, making my heart clench, a lump forming in my throat. I had often teased Dexius, adoring that rosy pink blush that streamed across his face. I would sometimes cloak myself and follow him whenever he went on tours with his family around the island, getting a sick thrill whenever I whispered lewd things in his ears and he would laugh out loud or blush like crazy. He would always punch me later on and scold me for it, but I could tell by his light smile that he found it amusing too.

The rest of our walk was in silence as we neared the market place that was buzzing with activity. Faeries, nymphs, demons of all kinds milled back and forth around the rows of modern kiosks decorated to match their products. A medium sized stage was set up at the end of it all with a band of nymphs playing a mix of traditional, electronic Greek music. It was peaceful and a few of the faeries were stopping to dance, gathering a small crowd to watch and clap politely.

I always adored marketplaces. They were rich with culture, and while Olympus was generally limited to only Greeks, there were a few foreigners who were allowed entry and were always swamped with business. A small Mexican kiosk was selling sweets and candies, another was Apollo's favorite pizza place, several Chinese take-out places. It was lovely.

I didn't generally make purchases, though. Apollo had already told me I could get whatever I wanted, but part of me knew he would demand sex afterwards as payment and I didn't particularly want to give him more reasons to fuck me. Although, today it was going to happen either way, so I figured I might as well grab something.

"Let's go somewhere for lunch," I told Denarius, watching him light up at the suggestion, "Where would you suggest?" Denarius paused to consider the options before he smiled.

"My cousin owns a small restaurant and there is the option to eat outside." He offered. I nodded, thrilled at the idea. I allowed him to lead the way, following close behind as we traveled through the marketplace near where the stage was set up.

Now that was a good spot to have business.

Cheery music, dancing faeries. It was a perfect spot, and even better was the copious amounts of sunlight that seemed to have chosen that spot to pour through. I glanced at Denarius, admiring the fact that he had purposely chosen this place to suit my comforts. It was more than just his shy glances at me that indicated it as well. Denarius was always very thoughtful and friendly towards me. Gruff and off-putting towards others, but I found that side of him the most attractive.

We approached a small reddish modern restaurant made of bricks with sunflowers in the windows, and the door opened to allow soft music to pour out, traditional and relaxing. It was almost like being on vacation and quickly my mood elevated the longer we stayed. I ordered a salad, falafel, and hummus, smiling as Denarius ordered a ridiculously large meal with a pile of meat.

We took a seat at one of the small round cafe tables outside, near the stage to admire the music as the nymphs swayed on stage. One of them, a petite young female with her short blonde haircut in a pixie cut with a flower headband and a matching sun dress, gave Denarius a wave before she returned to her flute playing.

"My sister," Denarius said when I looked at him, and I smiled, "Her name is Delilah. She and her band play here whenever they're in town."

"So she doesn't live on Olympus?" I asked. Denarius shook his head, taking a bite of his gyro, licking the sauce off his lips before frowning up at his sister as she did a dainty twirl, hopping up on one foot before gracefully moving to the next as she danced.

"No, she lives in Athens, Greece," He answered, and judging from the tone of his voice, he wasn't very fond of his sister living elsewhere, "She left when she hit her first heat. Said she didn't want to be caught by a god when she hit it." I nodded in understanding.

Nymphs were an interesting creature. Once they hit twenty-two years of age, they went into a sort of heat, a wild sex frenzy and it was why the gods allowed them to make their homes on Olympus. Or rather, why Zeus allowed them to make their homes on Olympus.

"She's very good," I commented, taking a bite of salad and watching Denarius's mouth twitch with a look of pride, "It's very smooth, her playing and her dancing. I could sit here all day and watch." Denarius seemed pleased with that, glancing up at the stage where his sister gave him a wink this time. I chuckled and Denarius blushed a little, looking down at his food.

I had just finished my salad when a strange fissure cut through the air and I paused, a frown working onto my face. The air around us kicked up a bit of dust from the packed dirt streets, a bit of an icy nip to the wind despite the seventy degree temperature. I narrowed my eyes for a moment.

"Did you feel that?" Denarius asked, keeping his voice low. The other creatures hadn't seemed to pick up on it, so why did Denarius? I didn't ask him, though, simply nodded in response to his question as I scanned the area around us. I felt someone's eyes following me.

Atlan?

No, he wouldn't be that stupid.

Xanius? Who else would be hopelessly devoted to such a psychopath? She could've easily disguised herself, or even worse, sent in one of her desdios. Her desdios weren't ordinary demons. She made sure to pick up half breeds, desdios that shared her blood and the blood of one of the desdios demons. As demigods, they had more power, more energy, and more danger levels than the other desdios.

"We should head back." Denarius said at last, getting to his feet. I nodded in agreement, picking up my things and dropping it into a nearby trash can. Even on our way through the marketplace, I got that tingling sensation on the back of my neck. Denarius made sure to walk close behind me, his eyes darting around and his fingers twitching, opening and closing into fists.

It's too late.

I heard something in the woods snap, the sound of someone breathing, their heart race. My powers crackled and writhed to escape the slave bond on my soul, to no avail. Denarius cursed and second later, something shot out of the trees, directly at me. Denarius whirled around and shoved me aside, catching the creature about the waist and going down hard.

I gasped sharply, taking a step back as Denarius snarled, baring his teeth, which sharpened into teeth resembling that of a piranha. His pupils dilated and he sank his teeth into the attacking demon's arm and it shrieked, slashing at Denarius with thick green claws. My eyes widened as I recognized those green claws and a shout fled my lips. Without thinking, I lunged at the creature and caught him around the waist, swinging him around and throwing him as hard as I could into a tree that cracked and shuddered under the pressure.

I spun back around to see Denarius gasping hard, clasping a hand over bloody claw marks on his abdomen.

"Denarius." I managed, scrambling over to him as he wheezed, sweat collecting on his temples, his teeth returning to normal. He slumped back against the ground, breathing labored and I caught his head before it could strike the ground, pulling him close.

"What the hell is that thing?" He choked.

"Cruentius," I seethed, making Denarius look at me in confusion as I clasped my hand over his shredded abdomen, "Atlantean demon born to the gods Xixus and Drakus. Their claws excrete poisonous venom that paralyzes the victim, but still allows them to feel pain, to see what's happening. They're a torture demon and they feed on the blood of their marked victims." Denarius made a look of frustration.

"Don't worry. I still have my healing abilities." I told him gently, waving my hand over his wound and summoning up enough energy to seep through the bloody gashes in his flesh, coaxing the venom out with gentle pulls of my fingers, drawing my hand up. The poison was a very pale minty mist that swirled beneath the palm of my hand. I had almost completely gotten the poison out when the creature growled nearby and I jerked my head up, narrowing my eyes as it rose to its full height, cracking its thick neck to the sides before turning to face us.

It was nearly eight feet in height, its pale pasty skin marred by pulsing purple veins was stretched tight over thick bulging muscles that jumped with every step it took. Its green claws, both hands and feet, flexed and clicked together, and it dislocated its jaw in a loud roar that shook the forest around us, causing tree nymphs to rip off their hiding spots, fleeing the scene, taking birds and small critters with them. Its teeth were thick, like a thousand tiger fangs lined up together and they seemed to disappear deep into the demon's throat, its buggy green eyes glowing eerily even in the dim sunlight that was beginning to disappear below the treeline.

"Shit." Denarius gasped as it roared again and took a step toward us. I clutched Denarius tightly, narrowing my eyes on it as I focused more magic into my palm to draw out the poison. I collected it into a ball in my hand and gently set Denarius down, letting his natural healing process rapidly stitch his flesh back together. I rose to my feet, keeping my eyes on the demon.

"Let me guess, Xanius sent you." I muttered. The creature bared all its teeth, including a few in its throat as it took a thundering step toward me.

"Your time of death has come, traitor." He growled in a distorted gravelly voice, the words Atlantean so Denarius just scowled as he rose to his feet.

"Get back, Denarius," I commanded when he started to join me and he glared at me, "I know Apollo sent you with me, but he was expecting a low level demon. This is not a low level demon. Cruentius eat demons like you for breakfast." Denarius glared at me.

"I'm not protecting you because Apollo ordered me to." He snapped. I made a noise of frustration and the Cruentius snarled, its long slimy green tongue coiling out to lick at the air before it sucked back in and it growled.

"I will kill you quickly, traitor. Nothing tastes more delicious than fresh nymph flesh." He sneered, raking Denarius with a hungry stare. Denarius curled his lip and held his hands out, conjuring a sharp wooden staff with a pointed tip decorated with a spiral of silver. The Cruentius's lips peeled back from its jagged teeth and it let loose another roar, lunging for him first.

Shit!

I needed to get an open wound on him before I could use his own venom on him, but he moved fast for a big guy. He lunged at Denarius and I flinched, waiting for a full impact, but Denarius spun out of the way and jammed his spear straight through the demon's left side. The demon shrieked and spun around, slashing its claws at him, but Denarius ducked and rolled, springing to his feet and drawing the spear up across the demon's open chest. Blood splattered the ground and Denarius leapt back.

Well, he's got an open wound now.

Before the demon could heal, I threw the ball of poison through the air and it splashed across the Cruentius's chest. It roared, throwing its head back, making Denarius and I flinch, taking a few steps back. Unfortunately, the poison only barely slowed the creature down as it lunged for Denarius, who cursed and back-flipped out of the way, leaping onto a tree branch to avoid it. The Cruentius, definitely not a climbing demon instantly gave up on Denarius for now and whirled on me.

I narrowed my eyes on it as it lumbered toward me, opening its dislocated jaws to reveal its unfriendly rows of teeth that definitely belonged in the mouth of a shark... or a hydra. I took a few steps back, keeping eye contact with the creature as it eyed me.

He didn't trust me. He knew damn well that I wasn't a pushover.

Which meant Xanius had warned him about me. She knew my usual fighting style, knew my power, my signature moves. This creature could easily counter all of them. I needed a plan, some kind of surprise attack. It roared again, in a way that made me wonder where the hell Zeus was, or Apollo for that matter seeing his temple, and Hephaestus's were the closest to the marketplace. Not that Hephaestus would even be home considering he was hardly welcome on Olympus and the temple was just a formality.

"Milady neglected to tell me how delicious you are," It sneered, raking me with a look that told me he was sizing me up for an oven, "I will enjoy feeding on you as much as I enjoyed your sister." I froze, staring at him.

"Atlia? You killed Atlia?" I managed. The Cruentius laughed.

"Do you truly think the gods would pike a head like that?" He mocked. I wasn't sure what I thought. Atlan was insane. He was capable of anything, but it made much more sense for a Cruentius to display its kill like that. They wouldn't eat the head. They'd rip the brain out through the nose, much like the Egyptians, except the Cruentius would eat it piece by piece and a shudder wracked me as I realized something horrible.

Atlia had died slowly, painfully.

And it's your fault. Guilt struck me so hard that I stumbled and the Cruentius took advantage, shooting across the clearing and Denarius's shout was the last thing I heard before the Cruentius slammed into me, my head striking the ground. My ears rang, a gasp leaving my lips and immense pain rocketed through my entire body, straight down to the marrow of my bones. I lay on the ground in shock, the wind knocked from my lungs as I choked and gasped for breath.

The Cruentius was on me a second later, opening its jaws and letting its tongue spiral out and slid across my face. Disgust chilled me and I cringed away from it, struggling to get out from beneath it. I saw Denarius move out the corner of my eye to attack it, but something suddenly exploded from the trees and kicked the Cruentius so hard it went flying straight through two trees and into a heap in a stream.

Denarius dropped down beside me and grabbed me into his arms, jerking me against him. I barely noticed as the person stepped into the rays of sunlight that bled through the tree canopy. My eyes widened and instantly hatred pooled through my veins.

The new comer was tall, wavy dark hair swept back from a handsome face that was oddly boyish in a way, maybe it was those bedroom dark eyes that glinted with a killer's intent. He wore a stitched black uniform with no symbols of markings, a belt holstered with weapons I'd never seen before, but I recognized that face, that cold battle hardened face that made my skin crawl. I shoved off the ground, rising to my feet as I seethed his name.

"Menoetius."